Four Buckeyes Named to IWLCA All-Region Team

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State women’s lacrosse players Jackie Cifarelli and Tori DeScenza each were named First Team All-West Region selections by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), the organization announced Monday. Katie Chase and Taylor Donahue were also honored as second team all-region selections as the four Buckeyes helped guide the Scarlet and Gray to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years.

Cifarelli led the Buckeyes in total points (63) and assists (46), ranking fourth all time in career points (186) as just a junior. The attacker from Rockville Center, N.Y., earns her first career first team regional honor. She was second in the country and first in the ALC in assists throughout the season, finishing the year fourth all time in single-season assists at Ohio State after producing 40 percent of the team’s total helpers.

DeScenza, the 2014 ALC Goalie of the Year, earns her first career first team all-region on honor, collecting a season-high 154 saves with an ALC-best .492 save percentage. DeScenza’s 8.06 goals-against average is second-best in the OSU single-season list, while boasting 13 wins (second-most in school history). A native of Sea Bright, N.J., DeScenza also led the team with 38 groundballs in her junior year.

Chase picks up her second all-region honor of her career, leading the team with a season-best 49 goals and second on the squad with 53 points in 16 games played in 2014. Chase helped lead a team offense that ranked in the Top 20 nationally throughout the year, collecting multi-goal games in 14 of 16 contests. Her 49 goals are third-most in the OSU single-season record list. She also earned a team-high 54 draw controls and has claimed 142 draws in her OSU career (second-most since 2000).

Donahue, a native of Shamong, N.J., also earns her first career all-region honor, picking up a season-high 30 ground balls. She was second on the team in caused turnovers (14) and helped a Buckeye defense limit opposing offenses to eight goals per game, which ranked in the Top 20 throughout the 2014 campaign. The first team All-ALC selection collected at least one ground ball in 18 of 20 games. In three years, Donahue has started in 53 contests since joining the team in 2012.

Cifarelli, Donahue and DeScenza each earned first team All-ALC honors two weeks ago, while Chase was honored on the second team list. The Buckeyes concluded the 2014 campaign with 13 wins (second-most in school history), nine home victories (OSU program-record) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2003 season and third overall. Under fourth-year head coach Alexis Venechanos, Ohio State has garnered 17 all-region awards.